U.S. Pat. No. 3,757,883 shows a wheel bearing unit, in which the inner and the outer bearing ring are cold-formed from sheet metal. The bearing rings are designed hollow-cylindrically about the axis of rotation of the wheel bearing unit and each have two raceways for rolling bodies. The outer bearing ring has, on its side facing away from the raceways, a radially outwardly directed flange, by means of which the wheel mounting is fixed with respect to the vehicle. The inner bearing ring is provided with a likewise outwardly directed connection flange, to which the brake disk and the vehicle wheel driven via the inner bearing ring are fastened. The raceways are introduced radially, at least partially recessed, into the respective bearing ring and are separated from one another by shoulders. The raceways of the double-row angular ball bearing run out at the shoulders projecting radially outwardly from the raceways.
The bearing rings, produced without cutting from sheet metal, are designed to have a very high mass. This has an adverse effect on the overall balance of the unsprung masses on the vehicle. Moreover, due to the thickness of its walls, the bearing rings are relatively rigid, so that an elastic compression of the bearing rings, which is sometimes desirable, is ruled out. On account of the high rigidity of the bearing rings, a bearing arrangement of this type can be prestressed, free of play, only with extremely great difficulty.